Safety oil-tank.



J. H. SMITH.

SAFETY OIL TANK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7. 1912.

1,060,643. Patented May 6, 1913.

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Witwzooco J. H. SMIT-H SAFETY OI'L TANK.

APPLICATION FILED -MAY 7, 1912. 1,060,643. Patented May 6, 1913.

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SI'JZITH, -QZ: P0331 ARTHUR, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THERE fi'hsl lhlfi W.

BURNES, 0F PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS earner err-ra sin.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Eatented ti,

T0 (ZZZ whom it concern:

Be itjknownthat 1, James E. SMITH, a citizen of the United Staes, residing at Port iirthun-in the county of Jeiierson and titate of Texas, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Safety Gib Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a tank for storing oil, gasolene or the like,and has particular reference to a safety tank constructed to prevent the explosion of its contents.

in important object or the present invention is to provide a tank of the above mentioned character, which is simple in construction and reliable and automatic in operation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course or" the following description.

.ln the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the tank,

and, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

in the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designates .a'p'referably cylindrical main or body portion of the tank, which may be formed'of, sheet metal or any other suitable material. The lower end of the body portion 1 is closed 111 the usual manner and its upper end is'tormed open, as shown.

.The upper end of the body portion 1 is normally closed by a movable top or lid formed of an outer annular section 2 and an inner circular section 3, as shown.

Disposed'withinthe body portion 1 is a" central vertically disposed post or upright d, around which are disposed outer vertically disposed posts or uprights 5. The central circular lid-section'3 is mounted upon the central post 4, to move longitudinally thereof, the same being provided at its center with an opening through which the post The outerannular lid-section 2 is provided with openings to receive the outer posts 5 and is adapted to be moved longitudinally of these posts. The posts 4 and 5 are provided with rests 6, rigidly connected therewith and the central post is provided with two of these rests, as shown.

The

posts 4 and 5 are provided at points above and spaced fromthe rests G'With stops 7,

8 carried bythe post a and the other rings 8 drawings wherein is illustrated awhich are rigidly connected therewith. The central post 4 has two of these steps, Mounted upon the posts and 5m move 15% gitudinally thereof between the rested stops 7 are rings 8, as shown; The upper ring 8 carried by the central post has connection with rods 9, which diverge and extend upwardly for connection with the cen tral lid section 3, as shown. Thelower ring- 4 65. carried by the posts 5 have connection with diverging rods 19, extending upwardly for connection with theouterannular lid-seetion 2. When the lid sections 2 and 3 are 1n their closedpositions, said lid-section 2 engages and extends beyond the upper end of the body portion of the tank, and the lidsection 3 engages and overlaps lid-section 2. The lid-sections 2 and 3 may be moved in dependently of each other.

The posted and 5 are held from lateral displacement by stay cables 11, as shown.

Connected with any part of the tank, prefQ erably the top-section 3, is a if-shaped structure 25, including valves 26 and f, as shown. 8c The valve 26 is normally closed and serves to discharge gas from the tank when oil is being supplied therein. The valve 2? is also normally closed and serves to admit air into the tank when the oil is withdrawn from the tank. By the operation of'these two valves 26 and 27, the pressure in the tank is kept constant at all times. i

In the use of the tank, the oihgasolene or the like is stored in' the body portion 1. Should the contents of the tank be ignited, which is sometimes caused by the tank being struck by lightning, an explosion will take place and cause the lid-sections 2 and 3 to be elevated, whereby the flames and prod nets of combustion are allowed to escape. These lidsections are limited in their upward movementby the rings 8 engaging stops 7. The lid-sections 2 and 3 soon descend to their closed-position, cutting oil the supply of oxygen to the interior of the tank and hence smothering the fire. If the tank is only partly filled, whereby the explosion is slight, the lid-section 3 only may. be unseated. Y

I wish it understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be takenv as a preferred example of the same, and that certain changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of partsmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination with a tank for holding oil or the like and having its upper end formedopen, of a plurality of separate lid sections normally engaging each other and closing the open end of the tank and adapted to be elevated by'difterent degrees of pressure within said tanl whereby only one lid section will be elevated when the pressure is slight and both lid sections elevated when the pressure is great, means to guide the lid' sections during theirmovement, and means to limit the upward movement of the same. 2. The combination with atank having its I upper-end formed open, of a vertically movable lid for normally closing the openend of the tank and formed of a plurality of independently movable lid sections and separate means to limit the upward movement of the sections to hold them in spaced relation to each other when in the uppermost position.

3. The combination with a tank having its upper end formed open, of a vertically movable lid for normally closing the open end of the tank and formed of a plurality of independentl vertically movable lid sections, substantially vertically disposed posts upon which the lid sections are l0ngitudi-- nally movably IHOHIILGd, and means engagix the posts to limit the upward movement it the lid sections. v

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two wlt-nesses.

JAMES H. SMITH.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH W. BURNS, JosErH PoLoE. 

